Wire-pickling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for pickling a plurality of steel wires includes an acid reservoir connected to an acid-recirculating tank with a tray above the tank for receiving the acid. The tank is covered over the majority of its area, but has at least one raised section extending above the tank cover. The tray is also covered and has an overflow weir at each end of the tray to provide a narrow slot through which wires pass. Means are provided for circulating the acid from the tank to the tray, over the top of the weirs, and back to the tank. Means are provided for transferring acid from the reservoir to the tank when the level of the acid falls to a predetermined level below the top of the raised sections but above the tank cover.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Charles D. Stricker MonroevilleBorough. Pa. [21] Appl. Nov 825,288 [22] Filed May [6, 1969 [45]Patented June 8, 1971 [73] Assignee United States Steel Corporation [54]WlRE-PlCKLlNG APPARATUS 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 134/57, 134/122 [51] Int. Cl B08b 3/04 [50] J Field ofSeareh134/56, 57,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,348,232 5/1944 Tautman eta1 134/122X Primary ExaminerRobert L. Bleutge Attorney-Martin .l CarrollABSTRACT: Apparatus for pickling a plurality of steel wires includes anacid reservoir connected to an acid-recirculating tank with a tray abovethe tank for receiving the acid. The tank is covered over the majorityof its area, but has at least one raised section extending above thetank cover. The tray is also covered and has an overflow weir at eachend of the tray to provide a narrow slot through which wires pass. Meansare provided for circulating the acid from the tank to the tray, overthe top of the weirs, and back to the tank. Means are provided fortransferring acid from the reservoir to the tank when the level of theacid falls to a predetermined level below the top of the raised sectionsbut above the tank cover.

PMENFEB Jun 8 is?! SHEET 1 BF 2 EH I.

PATENIED JUN 8 l97l SHEET 2 BF 2 Attorney WIRE-PICKLING APPARATUS Thisinvention relates to apparatus for treating a moving elongated workpiecewith a liquid vaporizable at the treating temperature, and moreparticularly to apparatus for pickling steel wire in a multiple-strandoperation.

This is most commonly done at present by having one or more open tankspositioned in series, or one or more open tank-tray assembliespositioned in series. In the first case, the wire strands are greatly inthe pickling acid by rolls located in each tank. In the latter case,there is straight line travel through the tray which is filled with acidcirculated from the lower tank to the upper tray. Since the acid isvaporizable at the temperature at which it is used, it has been foundthat approximately 50 percent of the total acid consumed is the resultof vaporization. This is also true of other processes in which thetreating liquid is vaporizable.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus fortreating a moving workpiece by means of a vaporizable liquid in whichthe surface area of the bath opposed to the atmosphere is greatlyreduced.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which reduces the heatrequired to maintain a desired bath temperature and also reduces theescape of corrosive vapors into the atmosphere.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to thefollowing specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view of a tank-tray assembly incorporatingmy invention; and

FIG. 2 is an end view ofthe assembly of FIG. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2indicates apickling tray having a cover 4. As shown, the cover is madeof two L-shaped longitudinal sections 4a and 4b with their adjacentsides spaced apart with one leg of each section extending upwardly fromthe adjacent sides of the sections to form a longitudinal passageway 6having a width slightly greater than the diameter of wires W beingpickled.

The wires W are fed from payoff reels 8 and drawn through the picklingtray by means of takeup blocks 10. A weir plate l2 forms the exit end ofthe tray and extends to within a short distance of the horizontalportion of the tray cover 4 to provide a slot 13. The top of the weirplate 12 has a plurality of spaced semicircular grooves 14 therein forindividually receiving the wires W. An acid overflow chute 16 isattached to the weir plate 12. A similar weir plate 18 and overflowchute 20 are provided at the entry end of the tray 2. The tray 2 is supported above an acid-recirculating tank 22 which has raised sections 24and 26 at the exit and entry ends thereof. Except for these raisedsections, the top of the tank is covered by a substantially horizontalcover 28.

A pump 30 driven by a motor 32 delivers acid from the tank 22 throughpiping 34 to the tray 2. An acid makeup reservoir 36 is mounted adjacentthe tank 22 and acid is delivered to tank 22 through piping 38 by meansof a pump 40 driven by a motor 42 controlled by a standard motor control44. Power for the motor 42 is obtained from powerlines L1 and L2connected to motor control 44. A switch 46 in lines L1, L2 is actuatedthrough linkage 47 by means of a float 48 mounted in the raised section24 of tank 22. It will be seen that the chutes l6 and 20 discharge intothe raised portions 24 and 26, respectively. An acid vapor condenser 50is preferably provided for the reservoir 36 and the acid in the tank 22is preferably maintained at a temperature of approximately 160 F. bymeans of steam-heated coils 52.

In operation, the wires W are individually strung up by being fed downthrough the slot 6 and along the horizontal slot 13 to a position in theselected groove 14 and then attached to takeup block 10. The pump 40transfers acid from the reservoir 36 to the tank 22 and the pump 30transfers the acid from the tank 22 to the tray 2 after the acid in thetank 22 has risen a considerable distance into the raised sections 24and 26. At this time, the float 48 will cause the switch 46 to open andthus stop transfer of the acid from reservoir 36 to the tank 22.

Since the tray 2 and tank 22 are completely filled with acid except forthe end sections 24 and 26, the only exposure of the acid to theatmosphere is in end sections 24 and 26 and the trough 16. The endsections 24 and 26 may also be partially covered by means of the covers54 and 56 if desired. The acid is kept in circulation by means of pump30 and returns to the tank 22 by overflowing the weirs l2 and 18. Whenthe level of the acid in the raised portion 24 falls to a predeterminedlevel above the top of cover 28, the float 48 will cause switch 46 toclose thus energizing motor 42 and causing the pump 40 to deliveradditional acid to the tank 22. After the acid raises in the end section24 to a predetermined level, the float 48 will cause switch 46 to openand stop transfer of the acid.

A typical tank tray assembly consists of a tank 16 feet long and 30inches wide and a tray 14 feet long and 30 inches wide. Compared to thesquare feet surface area of such an assembly used prior to my invention,the present invention has only a maximum of 5 la square feet surfacearea exposed to the atmosphere. This results in approximately 93 percentless area exposed to the atmosphere with a comparable reduction in vaporloss.

While one embodiment of may invention has been shown and described, itwill be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating a moving elongated workpiece with a liquidvaporizable at the treating temperature comprising a liquid reservoir, aliquid-recirculating tank, generally horizontal means covering themajority of the top of said tank, said tank having a raised sectionextending above said tankcovering means, a connection between saidreservoir and tank, means operable when the liquid in said tank is at apredetermined level below the top of said raised section and above thetank covering means to transfer liquid from said reservoir through saidconnection to said tank, a tray above said tank for receiving saidliquid, generally horizontal traycovering means covering the majority ofthe top of said tray, means for circulating said liquid from said tankto substantially fill said tray and back to said tank, and means formoving said workpiece longitudinally through said tray.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said raised section is at oneend of said tank; and said circulating means includes liquid overflowmeans at the end of said tray adjacent said raised section, and meansdirecting liquid from said overflow means to said raised section.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said workpiece is a steelwire, and means are provided for moving a plurality of steel wires ingenerally parallel relationship through said tray.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said overflow means includesa weir plate forming the end of said tray and extending to within ashort distance below said tray cover.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a second raised section insaid tank at the end opposite the first raised section, and a secondweir plate forming the end of said tray opposite the first weir plate,said second weir plate extending to within a short distance below saidtray cover.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including means for directing liquidoverflowing said second weir plate to said second raised section.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said tray cover includes twolongitudinal L-shaped sections having their ad jacent sides spaced apartwith one leg of each L-shaped section extending upwardly from theadjacent sides of said sections to form a longitudinal passageway havinga width slightly greater than the diameter of said wires.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which each of said weir plates hasspaced apart grooves in the top surface thereof for individuallyreceiving said wires.

9. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said tray cover includes twolongitudinal L-shaped sections having their adjacent sides spaced apartwith one leg of each L-shaped sec- 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 inwhich said overflow means includes a weir plate forming the end of saidtray and extending to within a short distance below said tray cover.

1. Apparatus for treating a moving elongated workpiece with a liquidvaporizable at the treating temperature comprising a liquid reservoir, aliquid-recirculating tank, generally horizontal means covering themajority of the top of said tank, said tank having a raised sectionextending above said tankcovering means, a connection between saidreservoir and tank, means operable when the liquid in said tank is at apredetermined level below the top of said raised section and above thetank covering means to transfer liquid from said reservoir through saidconnection to said tank, a tray above said tank for receiving saidliquid, generally horizontal tray-covering means covering the majorityof the top of said tray, means for circulating said liquid from saidtank to substantially fill said tray and back to said tank, and meansfor moving said workpiece longitudinally through said tray.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 in which said raised section is at one end of saidtank; and said circulating means includes liquid overflow means at theend of said tray adjacent said raised section, and meAns directingliquid from said overflow means to said raised section.
 3. Apparatusaccording to claim 2 in which said workpiece is a steel wire, and meansare provided for moving a plurality of steel wires in generally parallelrelationship through said tray.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 inwhich said overflow means includes a weir plate forming the end of saidtray and extending to within a short distance below said tray cover. 5.Apparatus according to claim 4 including a second raised section in saidtank at the end opposite the first raised section, and a second weirplate forming the end of said tray opposite the first weir plate, saidsecond weir plate extending to within a short distance below said traycover.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including means for directingliquid overflowing said second weir plate to said second raised section.7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said tray cover includes twolongitudinal L-shaped sections having their adjacent sides spaced apartwith one leg of each L-shaped section extending upwardly from theadjacent sides of said sections to form a longitudinal passageway havinga width slightly greater than the diameter of said wires.
 8. Apparatusaccording to claim 7 in which each of said weir plates has spaced apartgrooves in the top surface thereof for individually receiving saidwires.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said tray coverincludes two longitudinal L-shaped sections having their adjacent sidesspaced apart with one leg of each L-shaped section extending upwardlyfrom the adjacent sides of said sections to form a longitudinalpassageway having a width slightly greater than the diameter of saidwires.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said overflow meansincludes a weir plate forming the end of said tray and extending towithin a short distance below said tray cover.